Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Published : October 15, 2015 2:12 PM IST
Breast cancer can affect a woman in her early twenties too. Even though the risk in the twenties is low, it is not uncommon. And when a 23-year-old girl has to undergo a double mastectomy because of breast cancer her world would come tumbling down. But Nikki Black didn't let a double mastectomy come in her way of celebrating her life.
Black chose to turn her surgery scars in works of art by getting floral tattoos all over her reconstructed breasts instead of getting nipples as a therapeutic way to embrace her new identity.
In a statement to the Daily Mail online, Black said that the tattoos are a way for her to take control and be in the driver's seat again and to make a body a place that is safe and where she wants to be. Black is based in Los Angeles and is a stand-up comedian. She was informed by her doctor over the phone that she was suffering from breast cancer. Nikki told the Daily Mail that her brother was the only one present with her when she received the news and that she was devastated and was shocked because there was no history of breast cancer in her family. During the ordeal, Black was doing stand-up comedy in Philadelphia and her comedy network and her friends were very supportive of her.
After being diagnosed in mid-June, she underwent the surgery in July. Read: These 6 lifestyle choices can lower your risk of breast cancer
Her treatment involved a mastectomy that was followed by chemotherapy. She also underwent a breast reconstruction surgery after the chemotherapy. However, she was appalled by how people sexualised her disease by asking her what cup size she would get during the reconstruction of her breasts. She also said that she felt she didn't own her body anymore. She told the Daily Mail Online that it had become very uncomfortable as her period had stopped, and she also had hot flashes as the side effect of her chemotherapy.However, to cope with these side effects she drew designs on her bald head with make-up. Read: 10 tips to detect breast cancer early
Soon after her chemotherapy she was hospitalised due to a blood clot in her heart that was an after effect of her treatment. It was after this traumatic experience that she decided to get tattoos on her breasts. She said she wanted to feel like she owned her body again. She then contacted a tattoo artist who specialised in body art for breast cancer survivors. Both of them came up with floral designs for the tattoos that would cover her scars that overwhelmed her when the artists fist sent to her. As a support to Black, her mom offered to pay for the tattoos. She told Nikki that it was too sad for her to pay for replacing her nipples. Read: 6 breast cancer symptoms you should never ignore
After she had got the tattoos, she sent her pictures to her friends who had a positive and a fantastic reaction to them. Black said that it feels good that people appreciate her body in a way that is not sexualised. She said that the tattoos feel like armor, like protection against the world and that she ould choose what her body looks like. Black has to receive preventive treatment once every month for the next five years.
Black was lucky in a way that her cancer was diagnosed early, but many women, especially in India are unaware of the need to undergo breast cancer screening tests. Also, most of them don't know how to do a self-breast exam. October is breast cancer awareness month and with the rising number of breast cancer cases, it's time we make sure every woman from the age twenty and above get themselves tested.
Image source: DailyMailOnline
